Long March 3B - Sinosat 6 launched 2010 Sept 4th

[EarthlingX]

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com : China launches SinoSat-6 telecommunications satellite via Long March 3B

September 4th, 2010
by Rui C. Barbosa and Chris Bergin

(Launch Image from ChinaNews.com)

A Long March 3B (CZ-3B – Y13) has launched with the SinoSat-6 (also known as the ChinaSat-6A) telecommunications satellite on behalf of China. Lift-off took place at 16:14 UTC on Saturday September 4 (September 5 – 12:14 am local time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in SouthWest China’s Sichuan Province. The satellite will replace the SinoSat-3 satellite at 125 degrees East.

Wiki :
Long March 3B
Xichang Satellite Launch Center

Older related thread : CZ-3A Chang Zheng-3A - BeiDou-2 IGSO-1 - 2010.Aug.01

 

[EarthlingX]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGjBp5je5IM[/youtube]

wini001 | September 04, 2010

Chinasat-6A (XinNuo-6) - CZ-3B launch - September 4, 2010

 

[EarthlingX]

This video looks much better :

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw2JpmrMd4o[/youtube]

juancarlosbascu | September 05, 2010

September 4, 2010 - Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
A Chinese communications satellite launched Saturday on a Long March rocket, beginning a mission to broadcast civil television and radio signals across China.
Bolted on top of a 180-foot-tall Long March 3B rocket, the Chinasat 6A satellite lifted off from the Xichang space center in southwestern China's Sichuan province at 1614 GMT (12:14 p.m. EDT) Saturday.
According to state-run media, the three-stage launcher deployed Chinasat 6A in a super-synchronous transfer orbit with a high point of more than 26,000 miles, a low point of 122 miles and an inclination of 25 degrees.
It was the fourth space launch in five weeks for China, which has now fired eight rockets into orbit since the beginning of the year.
Chinasat 6A will use its own propulsion system to circularize its orbit at an altitude of 22,300 miles above the equator near Indonesia.
The satellite is designed to last 15 years delivering television and radio programming to customers across China, especially in remote and mountainous regions, according to the Xinhua news agency.
China Satellite Communications Corp. will operate the satellite.
Xinhua reported the new spacecraft will back up Chinasat 5C, another communications satellite that launched in 2007.
Chinasat 6A was built by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. and is based on the DFH-4 communications satellite bus.

 

[RVHM]

Again, a Chinese spy satellite disguised as a civil satellite. But the USA hasn't got the guts to take it down. Once upon a time, America would defend its position as a superpower. :evil:

 

[EarthlingX]

Again, a Chinese spy satellite disguised as a civil satellite. But the USA hasn't got the guts to take it down. Once upon a time, America would defend its position as a superpower. :evil:

I'm glad those times are over. It makes world a much safer place, and much smaller hole in the USA budget, which eventually other countries will have to pay for.

There are plenty of USA and EU civilian satellites which could easily be used for military purpose, actually most of them have limits to resolutions of what is available to civilian public. USA is launching mostly spy satellites lately anyway, without any pretence. I don't think anyone is worried too much about it, because they can shoot them down with not too much trouble, if they would need to, Iran and N Korea included.

 

[Zipi]

Long March 3B (CZ-3B) Launch Vehicle

Long March 3B Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_3B
Long March Rocket 3 Family Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_3_rocket_family
Nice CZ-3B info collection by Daniel Marin: http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... at-6a.html
(without Google translate: http://danielmarin.blogspot.com/2010/09 ... at-6a.html)
Astronautix CZ-3B Page: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/cz3b.htm
Great Wall Industry Corporation Long March 3B Page: http://www.cgwic.com/LaunchServices/Lau ... /LM3B.html
CALT Long March 3B Page: http://www.calt.com/english/ps/20100419 ... b83ee.html

LM-3B Structure
1. Payload Faring
2. Payload
3. Payload Adapter
4. Vehicle Equipment Bay
5. LH2 Tank
6. LOX Tank
7. Inter-stage Section
8. Third Stage Engine
9. Oxidizer Tank
10. Inter-tank Section
11. Fuel Tank
12. Second Stage Vernier Engine
13. Second Stage Main Engine
14. Inter-stage Truss
15. Oxidizer Tank
16. Fuel Tank
17. First Stage Engine
18. Strap-on Booster Cone
19. Strap-on Booster Oxidizer Tank
20. Strap-on Booster Fuel Tank
21. Stabilizer
22. Strap-on Booster Engine

Long March 3B First Stage:

Four YF-20C Engines burning N[sub]2[/sub]O[sub]4[/sub]/UDMH.

Astronautix YF-20 Page: http://www.astronautix.com/fam/yf20.htm
Astronautix YF-20B Page: http://www.astronautix.com/engines/yf20b.htm

Long March 3B Boosters:

Four boosters, each having one YF-25 engine burning N[sub]2[/sub]O[sub]4[/sub]/UDMH.

Astronautix YF-25 Page: http://www.astronautix.com/engines/yf25.htm

Long March 3B Second Stage:

One YF-24E engine block consisting of one YF-22E (Main) and four YF-23C (Vernier), all burning N[sub]2[/sub]O[sub]4[/sub]/UDMH.

Astronautix YF-22/23 Page: http://www.astronautix.com/engines/yf2223.htm
Astronautix YF-22 Page: http://www.astronautix.com/engines/yf22.htm
Astronautix YF-23 Page: http://www.astronautix.com/engines/yf23.htm

Long March 3B Third Stage:

H-18 third stage has one YF-75 (two combustion chambers) engine burning LOX/LH[sub]2[/sub].

Astronautix H-18 Page: http://www.astronautix.com/stages/czh18.htm
Astronautix YF-75 Page: http://www.astronautix.com/engines/yf75.htm

Above image seems a bit inaccurate... However it is the best I could find.

 

[EarthlingX]

space.skyrocket.de : ZX 6A (Chinasat 6A)

generic DFH-4 bus [CAST]

Site with alternative engine names, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, designer and developer :
http://www.calt.com : Long March-3B（LM-3B）

http://www.globalsecurity.org : LM-3B User's Manual

Launch site :
Wiki : Xichang Satellite Launch Center

http://www.globalsecurity.org : Base 27 - Xichang Satellite Launch Center

maps.google.com : Map and satellite image

One of the images :

 

[Zipi]

Sinosat-6 is leaking Helium: http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_tele ... sat-6.html

Operational lifetime of the satellite will probably be reduced.